Fixing His Parents
by Green the Cat
Summary: Kotone and Steven split up, but never broke up. Eight years later, their son takes matters into his own hands before Valentine's Day. Who knew children could even be relationship counselors?


Hello, it is Green the Cat. I have returned after many months of being internet-less. Now, I am still working on 'Ending the Cycle', but there will be a slight delay in the fact that Microsoft Works and Microsoft Word are not compatible with files of each other - trust me I've tried and it didn't end well. So until this weekend I won't be able to access my chapters, and I think I was finished with chapter eight too. Anyway, read this Valentine's Day special one-shot as a reward for not threatening to kill me with my spork- yes, I know this is two days early, but I'll be in class so you get it now. So let's go through the usual:

I do NOT own Pokemon, hell, I barely own my school supplies I need for college.

All especially important info is down below this lovely piece of literature, lovely in my mind at least.

Now, that we've gone through that, read and enjoy.

* * *

Soren wrinkled his nose as he read the pink piece of paper with his hazel eyes. Once he looked up, he frowned and re-folded the paper before carefully tucking it inside his Snivy-themed folder. A laugh sounded next to him and, once Soren looked over, a mirror-image of himself greeted him.

"You are so picky.," the mirror-boy said, drawing out the word 'so' before falling back into giggles.

"Kale, stop laughing at me.," Soren said, a pout forming on his face.

Kale simply smiled at his twin brother, his eyes twinkling in mischief. He leaned down to match his brother's sitting height.

"Mom's going to be mad when we get home, isn't she?," Kale asked as he began to fiddle with his brother's pencil, one of few supplies that differed between the twins.

Soren scowled and snatched his pencil from Kale's hand, then he gave his twin a look that very few could read, much less understand the underlying question. Kale gave a sheepish laugh as he scratched the back of his head.

"So you aren't going to visit father?," Soren asked, smacking his brother's hand as it inched ever closer to his pencil.

Kale shook his hand as he glared at Soren, then his expression changed to one of a kicked puppy.

"Dad said he was going to have a friend over so I want to go to Mom's tonight.," Kale said as he kicked the tiled floor, "I left my pencil bag at Dad's house. Do you have a pencil I can use?"

Soren's expression softened a touch and he held out the pencil they had been bickering over. Kale smiled as he took the offered pencil and Soren returned his brother's expression. Soren may have had father he really wanted to yell at, but he also had a loving mother and a cheerful brother.

* * *

"I don't like Valentine's Day.," Kale said as he followed his brother, soon grabbing his brother's hand as they approached the school parking lot.

Soren nodded his head in agreement as he looked around for his mother. He smiled and tugged Kale's hand when he found her. The twins ran across the parking lot to greet their mother. They were rewarded with a smile and a hug for their efforts.

Kotone took the two identical backpacks from her children and ushered them into her car. Once the two boys were buckled in she began driving home, the twins filling her in on the details of their day. Looking in her rear-view mirror at the two, Kotone decided there needed to be some way to tell Soren and Kale apart. They wore similar clothing, though not the same it was hard to tell whose clothes were whose, and they had their father's odd silver hair, meaning a brush would never do either of them any good, then they shared just about everything they owned. She was pulled from her thoughts by Kale, the easy smile and laughter giving away which boy was talking.

"Is it alright if I stay the night, Mom? Dad said a friend was coming over and I don't like it there.," the gentle eight year old asked as he began to poke at his brother.

"Does your father know about this?," Kotone asked. She didn't want to argue with the twins' father. Hell, if it hadn't been for Silver, she never would have left the man.

Kale gave a laugh and scratched the back of his head, a habit he must have picked up from his father, then gave a guilty look with a small smile. Soren gave a smile as well before falling into quiet laughter, his brother provided endless amusement.

"I'll call him when we get home."

* * *

Generally speaking, it took a lot to piss him off, but this was beyond generally speaking. Kotone had called saying that Kale wanted to spend the night with her, something about not liking his house and wanting to avoid his 'friend'. Well, if May had to stay at home so he could have his son for the night, then May wouldn't come over. He wasn't interested in her as a girlfriend anyway, after all he had had the best he thought there was to offer. Now, knowing that he was angry and more than likely about to take a trip down memory lane, he called a cab. He gave Kotone's address as he sat down, choosing to stare out the window as the cab drove toward his ex-girlfriend's house. One look at the park at the edge of the city had him tumbling into memories, thus why he called a cab.

He remembered the way Kotone had smiled at the park before turning to ask him about his surprise for her. He also remembered the way she looked horrified when he had come home to Silver in their home.

Silver gave him a smug smirk while Kotone just stared at the redhead in question, then she exploded in a combination of tears and rage and incoherent Japanese yelling. He watched the tears run down her cheeks, but he couldn't breathe enough at the moment to comfort her. What in the world was Silver doing here, in Unova, in their house?

He had never bothered learn Silver's original language, which was quite different from Kotone's, and he had a feeling Silver knew it. So when the redhead spoke, he only heard what Silver had intended to hear.

"Damn, your boyfriend got back before we could-"

He really couldn't breathe then, but Kotone quickly changed from screaming at Silver to crying in her hands and trying to explain to him through choking sobs what was going on, effectively cutting Silver off. He shook his head in disbelief. What was going on? Kotone wouldn't have cheated on him with Silver of all people, would she?

"Steven…," Kotone said, her voice trailing off into mumbled words and sobs.

Her voice broke his silent stupor, Steven turned and left the house even as his mind screamed at the mixed up logic that had just occurred.

"Sir, we're here.," the cabbie said, drawing Steven out of his thoughts.

"Stay here, I'll be right out.," Steven said as he climbed out of the car.

With not much care to what was going on inside the house, Steven entered Kotone's house.

* * *

Kotone gave a sniffle as she prepared to tell Kale that he was going to have to go with his father. However, when she reached the room that boy's shared, Kotone found Kale looking sad, but ready to go all the same. His little backpack was sitting by his feet and Kotone had the sudden thought of finding Soren as soon as she took Kale to Steven. Out of habit, Kale grabbed her hand as he dragged his backpack behind him.

At the front door, Steven was waiting patiently until he saw his son – well, the only one that bothered to be near him. Kale was more forgiving and acted more his age than his elder twin. Soren had a tendency to act too mature, confusing and intimidating most people. Steven almost flinched at the sad look directed his way when Kale looked his way, though something seemed a bit off about the puppy-like expression.

However, Kale still ran up to him and proceeded with his usual babble of the day's events. Steven took the backpack from his son, it seemed slightly heavier than usual, then grabbed Kale's hand. Kale turned back to his mother, giving her smile and a wave, before going with his father. Kotone waved at the two males leaving her house before she went back inside and disappeared from Steven's and Kale's view.

"Oh, yeah, Dad I need you to sign something for me!," Kale said, seeming to remember something important before returning to his usual talking.

* * *

"Soren, where are you?," Kotone called. Her other son had seemed to disappear once his brother had left.

A giggle sounded from behind the couch and Kotone gave it a long stare. Soren didn't giggle, the boy barely laughed, and couches can't giggle. Her chocolate gaze widened and her hand came up to hide her mouth, she did _not_ just do what she thought she did. However, when a little boy fell to the ground laughing, Kotone assumed that she had indeed handed Steven the wrong twin.

"Hi, Mom, why are you making that face? It's funny.," Kale said, his pointed way of calling her 'mom' and not 'mother' revealing that Steven had left with Soren.

"What did you two do?," Kotone asked, feeling a strange mix of humor and panic.

"We switched clothes.," Kale said, his innocence showing with the big smile he gave her.

However worried she was about Soren and Steven, Kale needed some attention too so Kotone smiled and had the boy sit on her lap. Perhaps she needed to explain that switching places with his brother was not good for her mental health.

* * *

Steven was watching Kale unpack his backpack when one object caught his attention. Oh, hell, this wasn't supposed to happen outside of movies and books. The green pencil bag with a Snivy patch instead of a Bulbasaur patch begged to differ though.

"Soren, why are you here and not you brother?," Steven asked the eight year old, then a thought struck him, "Does your mother know about this stunt?"

"Me and Kale switched clothes so you and mother got confused. I don't think mother knows yet, but Kale might be laughing so…," Soren said, trailing off at the end before giving his father a mischievous grin and running off to the kitchen.

Steven pulled out his cellphone and dialed Kotone's number.

* * *

Kotone had almost dozed off when her house phone rang. She picked up and nearly dropped the phone in surprise.

"Steven?"

"Yeah, hi, you do know that our sons have conspired against us, right?," Steven asked, his voice sounding exasperated, "Soren, stop spinning on the chair before you fall off, please."

"Still unfailingly polite, Steven?," Kotone asked with a giggle.

"Ah, well, um… Yes?"

Kotone could hear the hesitance in the former Champion's voice and could almost see him scratching the back his head, she guessed that he had a relatively important question to ask.

"Will you just ask already, I will not lie to you.," Kotone said before muttering in her native tongue. Steven caught Silver's name followed by several curses aimed at said redhead.

"Alright then, what was going the day we split up?," Steven asked, he never could use the term 'broke up' because they didn't. Actually, save for living in separate houses and the sheer amount of awkward, it didn't feel like anything had even happened.

"Silver had come over to berate me for choosing someone whom was over three years my senior.," Kotone said, her voice quivering and her eyes tearing up. Somewhere between telling Steven what had happened and remembering the event that had torn her family apart, she started reliving that night.

Silver had just barged into their house without Steven being there, despite her protests. Fortunately, the noise that Silver created in his rude entry hadn't woken up the two infants in the other room.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Kotone?," Silver nearly screamed.

"Be quiet, Silver, there are children sleeping in the other room and if you wake them up, you will leave.," Kotone said, her patience already close to snapping with her sister's boyfriend.

Why Kristal couldn't pick a normal boyfriend, Kotone had no earthly idea, but as it stood she had to be polite to the infuriating redhead. Said redhead shot her glare he usually only gave to Team Rocket members and, for some reason, Steven. Then he kissed her, hard, and she shoved him away.

Kotone heard Steven enter the room, but she was so disgusted with Silver that it took a moment to gather her thoughts before she went off. Her Japanese came out before she could help herself and so she unknowingly gave Silver the marginal advantage to destroy her relationship.

"What the hell, Silver?," she screamed, then caught her mistake. She knew that Silver didn't speak Japanese, but some Chinese dialect that when mixed with her language would gain an undesired response in those listening to the verbal war – in this case, Steven. When their mixed up words registered in Kotone's mind, she clenched her jaw shut even as she knew that Silver had finally got what he wanted.

She could only cry in her hands as she tried to salvage what little strength she had left to stop crying and explain to Steven what had just occurred.

"Steven…," Kotone said, her speech barely recognizable and she fell back into tears and incoherent Japanese mumbles as Steven just left.

Once that was done, Silver watched her with his smug expression that re-ignited her fury. She guessed her sister had dumped the redhead for some champion or other and tore into Silver. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, Kotone was entirely sure Silver understood the meaning of that phrase by the time he left. All Kotone was left with by the time the whole event was over with were two crying children and a desire to run away from herself – she never wanted to be angry ever again…

"Well, I guess that explains some things.," Steven said, abruptly ending her nightmarish reliving of the experience.

Kotone wiped her cheeks of the tears she had cried while telling the story, then her hand went down to run through Kale's soft silver hair. Poor boy had fallen asleep while she had read him a chapter out of a fantasy novel that he enjoyed.

"So, while you were telling me your side of the Silver-fiasco, I was reading this permission slip Soren wanted me to sign.," Steven said, the mischievousness he seemed to pass on to the twins easily slipping into his voice.

"Really now, why would you do that while I'm talking?," she asked, a smile tugging at her lips. She had almost forgotten how playful Steven could be even during serious conversations.

"There's a Valentine's Day party at the roller rink downtown until about seven that night. I was thinking while the two evil geniuses are skating – or eating cupcakes with way too much frosting and sugar – we have dinner at our house to discuss what we're doing with said geniuses.," he responded.

"Our house?," Kotone teased.

"Yes, our house, unless you really want to be rid of me."

Kotone laughed and gathered the novel from earlier and picked up her sleeping son.

"So, I'll see you then?," Kotone asked.

"No, you'll see me tomorrow with Soren and a bunch of cardboard boxes – heavy, junk-filled cardboard boxes.," Steven answered, she could hear Soren in the background saying that he wasn't evil, he just wanted his parents in the same house. Steven's voice echoes over the phone again, "Your mother says to go to bed and bring your brother his pencil case tomorrow."

"I didn't say that.," Kotone said.

"He doesn't know that, besides he has had a very busy today. Plotting with his brother, switching places with said brother, and repairing his parents' relationship – he needs sleep, Kotone.," Steven said, laughing all the while, "Hmm, who would've thought that an eight year old made the best relationship counselor?"

"Good night, Steven."

Kotone looked down at the phone, then set it down in favor of properly picking up Kale. As she tucked in the boy, she noticed the clock – after midnight, officially Valentine's Day. Well, better late than never and Kotone chuckled all the way back to her room.

* * *

Well, what do you think? I kind of like it, it's not covered in hearts and chocolate and flowers and all that other crap that oozes typical mushy Valentine's Day romance stories - short or not. However, even if I like it, you may not so drop some reviews and give some feedback. I like feedback much more now that I am broke ass college student. I'm not even kidding about that either, ah got to love the art majors - they eat my lack of money.

Now, on to some of the explaining I probably need to do. Despite the fact that this story probably falls in line with '13 Reasons to Learn a New Language', there is no relation between the stories. However, Soren and Kale may make an appearance in another story I've decided to work on. On that note, how did everyone like those two? Anyway, instead of some smother-y romance crap for Valentine's Day, I give you the more family-oriented romance crap for Valentine's Day - rated T for my language. I know a lot of people have divorced parents or even parents that were never married - I am one of those statistics, but I've seen some of those parents never really wanted to separate - forces such as Silver are usually the role in that type of situation as rare as it is. So instead of two pissed off parents, we have what is probably my favorite pairing trying to figure out what the hell happened. Ah, the fluff I have induced upon your brain.

Anywho, sorry if it seems rushed, but considering that it takes place within a total time span of under a day - even less if you take out the first scene between Soren and Kale... and the flashbacks count for a good chunk of the wordage here - well, within the story itself anyway. How well were those done anyway? I hope it's less jarring than those ones that actually have the flashback sectioned off in a little labeled part. I've actually stopped reading fanfictions that have flashbacks written like that, so if I've achieved the goal of a better flashback than that, I'm a happy camper. So, hopefully, 'Ending the Cycle' will be updated sometime next week. As said, if you've got feedback or, hell, even an idea for my next literary goal, shoot a review or whatever.

Oh, here's a challenge: There are six names used in this story, three of them are used in an acronym in one of my favorite video game series. First person to give the acronym, what it stands for, _and_ the game name will receive a one-shot for their time and knowledge. Details about that will be on my profile... Small note - once someone has successfully accomplished the challenge, that's it. There will be no more prize, but if you wonderful readers enjoy this type of thing, I will give more challenges and rewards in upcoming stories.

Well, I'm glad to be back on the fanfiction scene and, with that, I bid you adieu - Green the Cat


End file.
